Tony Ferguson returns to welterweight to face Li Jingliang at UFC 279
Tony Ferguson will return to welterweight for the first time in over a decade when he faces Li Jingliang at UFC 279 on Sept. 10 in Las Vegas.
UFC president Dana White announced the matchup during the UFC 278 post-fight press conference.
While he’s currently riding a four-fight losing streak, Ferguson has been itching for a chance to get back in action with hopes that he could compete at 170 pounds again. Ferguson actually earned his UFC contract at welterweight when he claimed The Ultimate Fighter season 13 title back in 2011.
Now “El Cucuy” will go back to his old stomping grounds after just recently spending some time training with the coaches and fighters at the Jackson-Wink Academy in Albuquerque as he looks to get back on track with his last win coming back in 2019.
As for Li, he’ll return to action off an impressive Performance of the Night with a knockout over Muslim Salikhov in his last outing in July. Overall, Li has gone 2-2 in his last four fights with an additional win over Santiago Ponzinibbio while falling to Khamzat Chimaev and Neil Magny.
Ferguson vs. Li joins a growing lineup at UFC 279 with the card headlined by a welterweight showdown between Chimaev and Nate Diaz.